Staffer's Book Reviewhttp://www.staffersbookreview.com
Life's too short for the wrong reads.Mon, 30 Oct 2017 22:57:55 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.11http://www.staffersbookreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/cropped-staffers-book-review-favicon-1-32x32.pngStaffer's Book Reviewhttp://www.staffersbookreview.com
3232StaffersMusingshttps://feedburner.google.com5 Awesome Books on Green, Sustainable Homes & Livinghttp://www.staffersbookreview.com/6-books-green-sustainable-homes-living/
Mon, 02 Oct 2017 04:29:20 +0000http://www.staffersbookreview.com/?p=210Recently, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released its 2017 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard, a high-level overview of each state’s overall energy efficiency according to the council’s rigorous standards.

“Every year, ACEEE ranks states on their energy efficiency policy and program efforts and provides recommendations for ways that states can improve their performance in a variety of policy areas,” says the ACEE’s annual report.

This year, the top ten states for energy efficiency were Massachusetts, California, Rhode Island, Vermont, Oregon, Connecticut, Washington, New York, Minnesota and Maryland. The fives states on the least-efficient end of the spectrum were North Dakota, Wyoming, South Dakota, Kansas and West Virginia.

But not matter what state you reside in, there are small and large habits and actions you can implement in your family’s home to make less of an impact on the environment. Whether it’s choosing an energy efficient appliance, like an ENERGY STAR rated appliance, making energy efficient upgrades to your home, or having an emergency backup option for cooling like a small room AC, there are steps you can take to wean yourself and family off heavy energy use. You can even qualify for a energy-efficiency mortgage (EEM), which allows you financing options for energy efficiency home updates and renovations.

Below, you’ll find some of our favorite books on energy efficiency for homeowners and the sustainable design and construction industry.

But children's literature is a relatively new phenomenon in book publishing. Books written specifically for children began to be printed in the 18th Century, and by the 19th Century, children's literature - and a concept of childhood that supported the market - had become commonplace for those families that could afford it. Now, there are books for toddlers, babies and preschoolers - everyone in the family.

But these books were severely moralistic in tone and instilled the idea that the perfect child was respectful, innocent and unspoiled. Such children did not behave in any manner that a parent or nanny would have recognized.

They were role models rather than realistic characters. That changed with the times, and children's literature today covers a vast range of styles, from gritty reality to enchanting flights of fancy. Of all the children's authors that have helped to reinvent the genre over the years, five remarkable talents stand out.

]]>How to Offer Meaningful Support for Loved Ones in a Health Crisishttp://www.staffersbookreview.com/offer-meaningful-support-loved-ones-health-crisis/
Thu, 01 Jun 2017 16:22:37 +0000http://www.staffersbookreview.com/?p=201You’ve seen the social media posts: A good friend announces that a spouse or child has been in an accident or is seriously ill, and the family expects to be fully focused on their loved one’s recovery in the coming weeks or months. These posts are often followed by dozens of heartfelt responses, promising prayers... [Read More]

]]>5 Great Books for the Nurse in Your Lifehttp://www.staffersbookreview.com/best-books-for-nurses/
Wed, 31 May 2017 18:17:22 +0000http://www.staffersbookreview.com/?p=195Finding a great gift for a nurse or nursing student can be a challenge. You don't know if they already have a stethoscope, watch, or white coat, and many hospitals forbid flowers or monetary presents. This list of five nursing-related books is here to help.

Whether the nurse in your life works in pediatrics, long-term care or something more unique like the NICU, they can always use a dose of literary inspiration to remember to enjoy their life paths. With historical fiction, medical philosophy, and cross-cultural nursing books, you're sure to find the perfect present for the nurse in your life.

Outlander

The hit series Outlander inspired a big-budget Showtime series and taught an entire generation of women to love Scottish men. It also elevated the role of nursing in popular fiction.

Main character Claire draws on her experience as a battlefield nurse to deliver babies, set broken arms, and perform surgery as she proves to the 17th century that women can be medical experts. Author Diane Gabaldon was a biology professor and researcher before she became a best-selling novelist, and she brings authenticity to Claire's nursing decisions.

The Outlander series combines strong women, historical medicine, and sweeping romance into an irresistible package.

My Name is Mary Sutter

Every nurse knows the story of Florence Nightingale and her tireless efforts to improve battlefront medicine. My Name is Mary Sutter is a fictionalized accounting of a Civil War nurse that draws on the Nightingale spirit to imagine a determined woman struggling to be taken seriously in the male-dominated world of surgery.

The book gives a detailed accounting of medical conditions during the Civil War but stays light by following Mary's romantic journey.

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

Journalist Anne Fadiman spent years working with a Hmong family and their doctors in California. In The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, she dives into the Hmong's cultural healing practices and explores how they clash with modern medicine.

By alternating between the perspectives of American hospital workers and the history of the Hmong people, Fadiman shows how difficult it is for the two perspectives to reconcile. This book is required reading for many nursing programs and makes an excellent gift for any nurse working with diverse populations.

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End

Nurses are the backbone of the long-term care industry in America. It's nursing assistants, LPNs, and RNs who provide the day-to-day care in nursing homes.

In this book, Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End, Dr. Atul Gawande explores what it means to die in the United States. He explains the innovative ways that nursing homes are working to make patients' lives better and highlights the barriers that caring nurses face when trying to improve quality of life for their charges.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

As biomedical research advances, nurses and their patients must confront new ethical challenges. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a nonfiction novel, in which author Rebecca Skloot traces the complicated legacy of Henrietta Lacks.

As a poor, black patient at Johns Hopkins University, Henrietta's cells were taken without her permission and used for decades of biocellular research. Her descendants, unaware this had happened until Skloot told them, have never been compensated. Nurse readers will appreciate the humanized reminder of their role in championing patient rights.

Whether you want to honor a graduating nursing student or thank a nurse for taking care of you, a small but thoughtful gift like a book chosen just for them is a great option. You can write a note of appreciation inside the cover to personalize your present.

Your recipient will keep the book and your sentiments long after a bouquet would have wilted or a dessert would have been devoured.

]]>5 Books That Will Help You Relax & Slow Downhttp://www.staffersbookreview.com/books-relax-slow-down/
Fri, 31 Mar 2017 04:21:22 +0000http://www.staffersbookreview.com/?p=175There’s nothing quite like curling up with a warm blanket and a good book. If you’re looking for an easy way to unwind, reading is an excellent outlet. Research found that reading works better to calm your nerves than going for a walk, unwinding in an infrared sauna, listening to music, or setting down with a cup of tea. Of course, choosing the right book can make a world of difference when it comes to lowering your stress levels.

The Science Behind Why Reading is Relaxing

Most bookworms know that reading provides a plethora of benefits aside from telling a story. According to a 2009 study published by the University of Sussex, reading was found to reduce stress levels by as much as 68 percent. When you read, you’re essentially districting your mind from your daily worries and anxieties. When immersed in a book, your muscles tend to relax which helps to relieve physical and mental stress.

]]>The 26 Best Alan Watts Quotes on Life, Death & Lovehttp://www.staffersbookreview.com/alan-watts-quotes-life-death-love/
Mon, 27 Mar 2017 13:16:55 +0000http://www.staffersbookreview.com/?p=171Part of the reason we love blogging so much is because it's fulfilling for us, and part of keeping that sense of fun and enjoyment alive is having daily doses of inspiration.

One of our favorite authors and pop philosophers (and self-proclaimed entertainer) is Alan Watts. His books line our bookshelves and any time we need to reconnect, it's great to have his words of wisdom within reach.

Here are a few of our favorite Alan Watts quotes that we've seen over the years. We'll add more as we reread all the Watts books in our household!

Alan Watts on Life

"This is the real secret of life - to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play."

"Without birth and death, and without the perpetual transmutation of all the forms of life, the world would be static, rhythm-less, undancing, mummified."

]]>4 Books on Work and Relaxation: How Doing Nothing is Just as Important as Doing Somethinghttp://www.staffersbookreview.com/books-work-relaxation-balance/
Thu, 09 Mar 2017 18:41:05 +0000http://www.staffersbookreview.com/?p=166There is one thing that every human being shares, and it is the 24-hour day. No power on earth exists that can extend or shorten this absolute time frame. It is as certain as death and taxes. However, how you choose to spend your 24 hours is completely under your control.

Most aspiring entrepreneurs, feeling the pressure to perform, decide to forgo everything else and focus all their time on growing their business. The result is fatigue, questionable judgement, and ultimately, depression.

Energy is the Most Vital Resource

Since time is practically static when it comes to the daily grind, it would be futile to attempt to manipulate it. The corporate buzzword "time management" is a misnomer, since what is being managed isn't time but personal energy. Every day, people like to plan out their calendars in order to make appointments and set goals.

They eagerly partition chunks of time so that each endeavor they want to accomplish gets an appropriate amount. Rarely do they question whether or not they have the necessary energy in their minds and bodies to perform those tasks. What usually happens is that people overestimate the number of assignments that they can finish, and they end up skipping a large part of their expected routine because of mental and physical fatigue.

It only takes one glance at the mountain of failed New Year's resolutions to prove this is true.

Energy is Not Unlimited

Working adults often look at rest and relaxation as a waste of time. This is especially applicable to business owners. The vast majority of their day is spent on developing their companies. Even during break periods, their minds are preoccupied with planning their next moves.

This paradigm, although common, is sorely misguided. The notion that constant work will lead to success is a pipe dream that does not take into account the expenditure of energy. Just as a cell phone only functions for a specific amount of time before shutting down, the body experiences exhaustion after a full day of nonstop activity.

Even if the activity only involves pushing pencils, it still requires a fair degree of concentration, and this can take its toll if the person is not careful.

And here's the key: an equal amount of work and rest is ideal for success.

When an electronic device signals low power, you naturally let it rest and plug it into an outlet to recharge its batteries. Human beings are much more complex than machines, and an hour of recharging is not enough. The ideal amount of relaxation should be approximately equal to the amount of work performed.

If you spend eight hours at the office, the bare minimum for a timeout should also be eight hours. This might seem counterintuitive, particularly for those who are hungry for success and convinced that every moment spent in quiet sleep or contemplation is a squandered opportunity.

However, those who have achieved success have figured out the complete opposite: every moment spent at rest generates more energy to rely on during the next chunk of time spent working.

Rest is not a Synonym for Work

Habits are hard to break. When aspiring business owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone chasing after a dream first applies this concept of equal work and play in their lives, their unconscious patterns of thinking always seem to sabotage their progress.

When the person goes for a breather, their workaholic mind fills in the lack of activity by furiously planning and fretting about the future. Even though they are lying down on the bed or engaged in something they find enjoyable, their worries about work continue to drain their energy.

Rest is supposed to be rest. This means completely unplugging both mind and body from the tasks to be done at school or in the office by letting it relax, whether through sleep or entertainment. Pretending to put your feet up when you're running a marathon in your thoughts and emotions is just another way of burning yourself out.

Quiescence leads to success and a healthier life.

Do not underestimate the value of letting yourself unwind. The body is not meant for long periods of furious activity, even though on the surface it might seem that way. Setting aside equal chunks of time for both rest and work allows you to stay sharp all day long. Ironically, by forgoing work and unplugging from the drudgery of necessary labor, you come back with better ideas, greater motivation, and renewed passion for the tasks at hand. This translates to larger profits in your business and the ability to make more of an impact toward the customers and clients you are trying to serve.

In the end, the old cliché is right: it truly does pay to stop and smell the roses.

Here are five books that we recommend for learning more about the importance of relaxation.

"When I first started working a lot, my wife and family eventually started seeming like strangers," said one personal injury attorney. "After reading The Off Switch, I figured out a new way to balance and life without feeling like I was getting too little done at work or spending not enough time at home."

"Declutter Your Mind has a strong focus on Mindfulness, and how we can tap into our greater selves to create a life of relaxation, peace, serenity and freedom," writes one Amazon reviewer. "In a world of increasing complexities, schedules stacked up, and distractions controlling our lives, there has never been a better time than now to start 'decluttering' your mind."

According to Wikipedia, hygge means, loosely, "'a form of everyday togetherness,' 'a pleasant and highly valued everyday experience of safety, equality, personal wholeness and a spontaneous social flow.'"

"During the reading I was convinced that my daily life has hygge in abundance - perhaps it's in my blood - but if I have to mention one thing that I do every day it would be enjoying a cup of quality coffee and reading a book," writes Lisa Hjalt on her blog. "If you feel that you need hygge in you life I highly recommend getting a copy of this book. It's full of ideas."

]]>The 5 Books You Need to Learn Airbrushinghttp://www.staffersbookreview.com/best-books-learning-airbrush/
Tue, 07 Mar 2017 03:42:30 +0000http://www.staffersbookreview.com/?p=150Every year, more and more people discover the beauty and joy of airbrushing. Like any craft, it takes a delicate balance of skill, patience, practice and commitment to get good at airbrushing, but it’s not too difficult to get decent at it in a short amount of time.

Depending on how much time and money you’re committing to your practice, you can check out a number of books that will help you get ahead of the curve. Combine these books with a solid beginner airbrush kit and you’ll have a recipe for success, whether you’re just looking to dabble or wanting to pursue airbrushing as a more serious hobby.

We’ve rounded up some of the best books for airbrushing beginners, including:

]]>The Best Philosophy Books for Beginnershttp://www.staffersbookreview.com/best-philosophy-books-beginners/
Mon, 13 Feb 2017 17:54:03 +0000http://www.staffersbookreview.com/?p=126Philosophy does more than just present you with information or knowledge. It gives you an understanding of the way our world works, questions about how it should work, and tools for finding solid answers to your own thought-provoking questions.

Not only does philosophy stimulate thought, but this subject is the foundation of science and learning as we know it. Philosophers from Ancient Greece wrote about topics that have since changed names but remain central to humanity, such as music theory, biology, politics, and logic.

Even the topic of physics was discussed, but was known as Natural Philosophy at the time. During this period, when even the concept of science was fresh and new, the work of philosophers created and contributed to what is now known as the scientific method.

In other words, you have to first wonder about the way things work to discover anything of value. Then you must find information about it, exchange it with others doing the same, and use what you find to create suitable methods for gathering knowledge.

]]>The 5 Best Pregnancy Books for First-Time Momshttp://www.staffersbookreview.com/best-pregnancy-books-first-time-moms/
Fri, 03 Feb 2017 16:13:18 +0000http://www.staffersbookreview.com/?p=112When you find out you’re pregnant for the first time, countless thoughts rush through your head. You might be wondering what the first step should be, what lifestyle changes you need to make immediately, or what it will be like to undergo drastic body changes.

Whether you have already taken the test and found out you’re pregnant for sure, or simply plan to become pregnant soon, you are likely already aware of the basic rules for taking care of your baby and yourself. Quit smoking immediately, get plenty of rest, and pay attention to your nutrition; these are a few of the obvious guidelines.

But what about the finer details that you haven’t already learned or heard about? Pregnancy is exciting, miraculous, and has the added benefit of bringing out the charity and kindness in those you interact with. But the experience can also be a bit stressful, not just for your body, but for your mind.

A New Stage of Life

As soon as you know you’re expecting, your whole life is different from that moment onward. Your ways of working, living, and playing all change due to this new, tiny person you have yet to meet. The colleague at work you’ve never interacted with before, the barista at your favorite coffee shop, and that random person at the farmer’s market all suddenly want to talk to you about intimate, private subjects.

They might ask you whether you’ll be breastfeeding, or how many pounds you’ve put on. They might even give you details about their past pregnancy that you never would have thought to ask for.